Trivet c. 1942

Clarence W. Dawson made this 'Trivet' painting with watercolor on paper. I love the brown, grey, and black color scheme and the very ornate trivet with the paw feet. I imagine Dawson hunched over a table, carefully applying the thin washes of paint, trying to capture the intricate design and the way the light catches the metal. Making a painting like this is a slow act of devotion, you know? It's like the artist is saying, "I see you, little trivet. I see your beauty, and I'm going to spend hours trying to translate it onto paper." It must have been meditative for them to render each curve and flourish. I wonder if he thought of the trivet as a functional object, or if it was more of a decorative piece? There is a deep connection between artists across time. They share ideas, inspiring each other's creativity. When we choose to be open and embrace ambiguity and uncertainty, we allow for multiple interpretations and meanings.